The Episcopal General Convention tried again Tuesday to break an impasse on whether to meet Anglican demands that the U.S. church stop electing gay bishops for now. If delegates fail to approve some restriction on electing gays to the high-level office before the meeting ends Wednesday, it could hasten a split in the family of Anglican churches, which already is badly divided over the Bible and homosexuality. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has been trying to broker a truce, but some church leaders believe he can only keep those efforts alive if the Americans send a signal that they are willing to compromise. The Episcopal House of Deputies, comprised of more than 800 lay people and clergy, reconvened Tuesday after failing to vote on the measure the day before. ... http://www.usatoday.com

Italian police have arrested at least 45 people in a major anti-Mafia crackdown in Palermo, Sicily. A senior prosecutor, Piero Grasso, said all the suspects had been charged with Mafia association and extortion. The operation, involving around 500 police officers, included the arrests of 13 alleged Mafia family leaders. Investigators say the arrests follow leads uncovered after the arrest in April of former Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano, after 40 years on the run. Some of the evidence also involved numerous secretly recorded conversations between alleged Mafia bosses, the investigators said. Mr Grasso declared after the arrests: "Cosa Nostra is down on its knees." ...http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5099588.stm

U.S.-led forces killed 15 terror suspects and detained three others during raids Tuesday in a village northeast of Baghdad, the military said. Residents said 13 civilians also were killed.Elsewhere, a bombing killed four people in a Baghdad market and a suicide bomber blew himself up in a home for the elderly in the southern city of Basra, killing two.The military said the raid targeted individuals linked with a suspected senior al-Qaeda in Iraq member, but it did not identify him.Troops came under fire from a roof upon arriving at the site in the village of Bushahin north of Baqouba — the same area where al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed June 7 in an airstrike....http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-06-20-iraq-raids_x.htm?csp=34

Coalition forces found what they believe are the bodies of two U.S. soldiers missing in Iraq since June 16, the U.S. military said. ``We have recovered what we believe are the remains of our two missing soldiers,'' Major General William Caldwell said today in a televised briefing from Baghdad. They ``have been transported to a coalition base today and will be transported to the U.S. for a positive DNA verification.'' Private First Class Kristian Menchaca and Private First Class Thomas L. Tucker went missing after an attack on a checkpoint at a canal crossing near the Euphrates River, in the vicinity of Yusifyah. A third soldier, Specialist David J. Babineau, 25, was killed in the fighting. ...http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aI47rAJ6htZ8&refer=home

A who's who of Chicago political power brokers and the job seekers they sponsored was unveiled Mon by federal prosecutors in the City Hall corruption trial. The list of more than 5,700 politically connected job applicants became public as a longtime secretary in Mayor Richard Daley's office testified for federal prosecutors against former Daley patronage chief Robert Sorich. Although city officials insisted for years that they did not engage in patronage hiring, secretary Patricia Molloy said aides in the mayor's office kept track of job seekers and their political sponsors, beginning shortly after Daley's election in 1989 and during much of his 17-year tenure. The names of the mayor's 3 brothers Michael, John & William Daley were entered into the database as sponsors of people seeking jobs or promotions, according to court records. Other sponsors on the list include longtime mayoral political strategist Jeremiah Joyce & former top aides Timothy Degnan, Victor Reyes & John Doerrer...http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0606200181jun20,1,7098537.story?track=rss&ctrack=1&cset=true

China's state oil company has bought a £1.6bn Siberian oil field from TNK-BP, sealing access to Russia's huge energy reserves for the fuel-hungry Asian economy.TNK-BP announced on Tuesday that Sinopec, also known as CNPC, would buy its Udmurtneft field. It contains a billion barrels of oil reserves, produces 120,000 barrels a day, and has previously been valued at $3bn (£1.6bn). TNK-BP is half-owned by the UK's British Petroleum.CNPC defeated a series of rival bids, including one from the Russian gas giant Gazprom in partnership with MOL of Hungary. TNK-BP spokeswoman Marina Dracheva did not name the price, but told Reuters: "We had bids from a few people, with highly competitive prices which were all quite similar. Because of that, other elements became important [in the tender]."...http://www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,,1802029,00.html?gusrc=rss